Method for processing information, forwarding plane device and control plane device

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for processing information, a forwarding plane device and a control plane device. The method includes: receiving a data packet, and extracting characteristic information of the data packet; searching for context information corresponding to the characteristic information of the data packet; buffering or discarding the data packet if the context information is not found; and sending an event reporting message to a gateway control plane device, wherein the event reporting message carries the characteristic information of the data packet, so that the gateway control plane device acquires the context information corresponding to the characteristic information of the data packet. In this way, the gateway forwarding plane device can acquire context information to the greatest extent under the condition that the context information is lost, thereby ensuring accurate forwarding of the data packet to the greatest extent.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of International Application No.PCT/CN2012/077893, filed on Jun. 29, 2012, which is hereby incorporatedby reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention relate to communications, and moreparticularly, to a method for processing information, a forwarding planedevice and a control plane device.

BACKGROUND

Standardization of 3GPP (The 3rd Generation Partnership Project, the 3rdgeneration partnership project) develops a brand-new evolved network,and SAE (System Architecture Evolution, system architecture evolution)of the evolved network is as shown in FIG. 1. In an SAE architecture,after a UE (User Equipment, user equipment) is accessed to an E-UTRAN(Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network, evolved universalterrestrial radio access network) through a wireless air interface, theUE is firstly attached to an MME (Mobility Management Entity, mobilitymanagement entity). The MME acquires subscription data andauthentication information of a user from an HSS (Home SubscriberServer, home subscriber server), and initiates a process forauthenticating the UE. After the MME completes the authenticationprocess, the UE or the MME initiates a process for establishing a bearerfor transmitting user data. In this process, the MME notifies an S-GW(Serving Gateway, serving gateway) of establishing the bearer for theuser, which is used for transmitting user data from the E-UTRAN to aP-GW (Packet Data Network Gateway, packet data network gateway), and thenotification message carries an address of the P-GW and addressinformation of an E-UTRAN network element where the user is located. TheP-GW forwards downlink data from an external PDN (Packet Data Network,packet data network) to the UE through the bearer, and forwards uplinkdata from the UE to a corresponding PDN.

In order to be compatible with existing UTRAN (Universal TerrestrialRadio Access Network, universal terrestrial radio access network) andGERAN (Global System for Mobile communications/Enhanced Data rates forGSM Evolution Radio Access Network, GSM/EDGE radio access network), a UEmay access an MME through a UTRAN or a GERAN, and an SGSN (Serving GPRS(General Packet Radio Service, General Packet Radio Service) SupportNode, serving GPRS support node), and may establish a GTP (GPRS TunnelProtocol, GPRS tunnel protocol) tunnel connection with an S-GW through aUTRAN/GERAN and an SGSN. The S-GW converts a GTP tunnel into acorresponding bearer connected to a P-GW which is used for transmittinguser data. The UTRAN may also directly establish a GTP tunnel connectedto an S-GW. An MME becomes a network element for only processing controlplane signaling, and an S-GW and a P-GW are primarily responsible forforwarding user plane data. An S-GW and a P-GW may be combined into anetwork element, which may be referred to as a unified gateway (UGW).

With development of mobile internet services, abundance of enterprisenetwork services and fusion of mobile access networks with multipletechnologies, a gateway device needs to gradually develop towards morefine service control and charging based on realization of a basic dataforwarding function, thus supporting more abundant serviceimplementation and control of an operator. Meanwhile, in an evolvednetwork, a UGW still needs to reserve a great number of externalsignaling interfaces. These signaling interfaces include a GTP-C (GTPcontrol plane) bearer interface between an MME and a gateway, a PCC(Policy and Charging Control, policy and charging control) interfacebetween a PCRF (Policy and Charging Rules Function, policy and chargingrules function) and a gateway, a charging interface between a chargingsystem and a gateway, a legitimate listening interface betweenlegitimate listening device and a gateway, a DHCP interface between aDHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, dynamic host configurationprotocol) server and a gateway, an interface between an AAA(Authentication, Authorization and Accounting, Authentication,Authorization and Accounting) server and a gateway and the like.

In order to enable a gateway to be capable of processing a great amountof interface signaling, a large number of hardwares such as a generalcomputing processor chip and the like are added on the basis of adedicated hardware platform, which makes a hardware platform of agateway device quite complex and cost too much, thus is unfavorable forspread and deployment of a mobile packet data network.

For solving the above-mentioned problem, a scenerio where a controlplane and a forwarding plane of a gateway are separated appears atpresent, namely a gateway is divided into a unified gateway controlplane UGW-C and a unified gateway forwarding plane UGW-U according tofunctionality, and an interface between the UGW-C and the UGW-U isdefined as Sg. The UGW-C processes external signaling interaction,including interaction with an AAA server, interaction with a PCRF byusing PCC signaling and the like. The UGW-C completes signalingnegotiation and sends information needed for forwarding a data packet bythe UGW-U (referred to as context information) to the UGW-U, and theUGW-U forwards user data packet according to the context informationindicated by the UGW-C. Similar decoupling concept may be applied to anSGSN and a GGSN of a 2G/3G network or to an S-GW and a P-GW independentdeployment device under the SAE architecture.

It is needed to consider that, under the scenario that the control planeand the forwarding plane of the gateway are separated, how to executeforwarding of a data packet when a gateway forwarding plane device losescontext information corresponding to the data packet.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and a device forprocessing information, so that a gateway forwarding plane device canensure accurate forwarding of a data packet to the greatest extent undera condition that context information is lost.

In a first aspect, a method for processing information by a gatewayforwarding plane device is provided, including: receiving a data packet,and extracting characteristic information of the data packet; searchingfor context information corresponding to the characteristic informationof the data packet; buffering or discarding the data packet if thecontext information is not found; and sending an event reporting messageto a gateway control plane device, wherein the event reporting messagecarries the characteristic information of the data packet, so that thegateway control plane device acquires the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the data packet.

In a first possible implementation, after sending the event reportingmessage to the gateway control plane device, a specific implementationmay be:

receiving the context information sent by the gateway control planedevice; and forwarding the data packet according to the contextinformation.

In a second possible implementation, after sending the event reportingmessage to the gateway control plane device, a specific implementationmay be:

receiving an instruction message sent by the gateway control planedevice; and discarding, by the gateway forwarding plane device, the datapacket and/or notifying a sending end of the data packet of occurrenceof abnormity according to the instruction message.

In combination with the first aspect or the first possibleimplementation or second possible implementation of the first aspect, ina third possible implementation, before buffering or discarding the datapacket, a specific implementation may be:

judging whether a user equipment internet protocol (UE IP) address ofthe data packet is a user-subscribed static IP address.

According to the third possible implementation, in a fourth possibleimplementation, the discarding the data packet may be specificallyimplemented in:

discarding the data packet if the UE IP address of the data packet isnot a user-subscribed static IP address.

According to the third possible implementation, in a fifth possibleimplementation, after judging whether the UE IP address of the datapacket is a user-subscribed static IP address, a specific implementationmay be:

notifying, if the UE IP address of the data packet is a user-subscribedstatic IP address, the gateway control plane device that the UE IPaddress of the data packet is a user-subscribed static IP address, sothat the gateway control plane device initiates a network-triggeredpacket data network (PDN) connection establishment procedure.

In combination with the first aspect or any of the first to fifthpossible implementations of the first aspect, in a sixth possibleimplementation, before the gateway forwarding plane device receives thedata packet, a specific implementation may be:

deleting part or all of context information stored by the gatewayforwarding plane device.

According to the sixth possible implementation, in a seventh possibleimplementation, the deleting part or all of context information storedby the gateway forwarding plane device may be specifically implementedin:

receiving a second message sent by a control plane device, and deletingpart or all of context information stored by the gateway forwardingplane device according to the second message; or

deleting, when the gateway forwarding plane device does not transmit anydata packet of a UE within a predefined time period, part or all ofcontext information of the UE stored by the gateway forwarding planedevice.

According to the sixth possible implementation or the seventh possibleimplementation, in an eighth possible implementation, the deleting partof context information stored by the gateway forwarding plane device maybe specifically implementated in:

deleting part of the context information stored by the gatewayforwarding plane device, wherein remaining context information at leastcomprising a UE IP address.

In a second aspect, a method for processing information by a gatewayforwarding plane device is provided, including: receiving an eventreporting message sent by a gateway forwarding plane device, wherein theevent reporting message carries characteristic information of a datapacket received by the gateway forwarding plane device; and acquiringcontext information corresponding to the characteristic information ofthe data packet.

In a first possible implementation, the acquiring context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the data packet maybe specifically implemented in:

triggering, when a user equipment (UE) corresponding to the data packetis in an Idle state, the UE to exit the Idle state; or

judging, when the context information corresponding to thecharacteristic information of the data packet is not found, whether auser equipment internet protocol (UE IP) address of the data packet is auser-subscribed static IP address, and initiating, by the gatewaycontrol plane device, a network-triggered packet data network (PDN)connection establishment procedure if the UE IP address of the datapacket is a user-subscribed static IP address; or

receiving, by the gateway control plane device, information about that aUE IP address of the data packet is a user-subscribed static IP address,that is sent by the gateway forwarding plane device, and initiating anetwork-triggered PDN connection establishment procedure.

In a second possible implementation, after acquiring the contextinformation corresponding to the characteristic information of the datapacket, a specific implementation may be:

sending the context information to the gateway forwarding plane deviceif the context information is acquired, so that the gateway forwardingplane device forwards the data packet according to the contextinformation; and

sending a first message to the gateway forwarding plane device if thecontext information is not acquired, wherein the first message is usedfor instructing the gateway forwarding plane device to discard the datapacket and/or to notify a sending end of the data packet of occurrenceof abnormity

In combination with the second aspect or the first or second possibleimplementation of the second aspect, in a third possible implementation,before receiving the event reporting message sent by the gatewayforwarding plane device, a specific implementation may be:

sending a second message to the gateway forwarding plane device, whereinthe second message is used for instructing the gateway forwarding planedevice to delete part or all of context information stored by thegateway forwarding plane device.

According to the third possible implementation, in a fourth possibleimplementation, the sending a second message to the gateway forwardingplane device may be specifically implemented in:

sending the second message to the gateway forwarding plane device when aUE does not exit an Idle state within a predefined time period, whereinthe second message is used for instructing the gateway forwarding planedevice to delete part or all of context information of the UE stored bythe gateway forwarding plane device.

According to the third or fourth possible implementation, in a fifthpossible implementation, the deleting part of context information storedby the gateway forwarding plane device may be specifically implementedin:

deleting part of context information stored by the gateway forwardingplane device, wherein remaining context information at least comprisinga UE IP address.

In a third aspect, a method for processing information by a gatewayforwarding plane device is provided, including: receiving an errornotification sent by a receiving end of a data packet; and sending anerror event reporting message to a gateway control plane device, whereinthe error event reporting message carries characteristic information ofthe data packet, so that the gateway control plane device releases apacket data network (PDN) connection or initiates reestablishmentaccording to the characteristic information of the data packet.

In a first possible implementation, the sending an error event reportingmessage to gateway control plane device may be specifically implementedin:

sending an error notification packet to the gateway control planedevice.

In a fourth aspect, a method for processing information by a gatewayforwarding plane device is provided, including: receiving an error eventreporting message sent by a gateway forwarding plane device, wherein theerror event reporting message carries characteristic information of adata packet; and releasing a packet data network (PDN) connection orinitiating reestablishment according to the characteristic informationof the data packet.

In a first possible implementation, the receiving an error eventreporting message sent by a gateway forwarding plane device may bespecifically implemented in:

receiving an error notification packet sent by the gateway forwardingplane device.

In a fifth aspect, a method for processing information by a gatewayforwarding plane device is provided, including: receiving a data packet,and extracting characteristic information of the data packet; searchingfor context information corresponding to the characteristic informationof the data packet; judging, if the context information is not found,whether a user equipment internet protocol (UE IP) address of the datapacket is a user-subscribed static IP address; and discarding the datapacket if the UE IP address of the data packet is not a user-subscribedstatic IP address.

In a sixth aspect, a gateway forwarding plane device is provided,including: a first receiving unit, configured to receive a data packet;a processor, configured to extract characteristic information of thedata packet received by the first receiving unit, and search for contextinformation corresponding to the characteristic information of the datapacket; a memory, configured to buffer the data packet received by thefirst receiving unit if the processor does not find the contextinformation, or, the processor is further configured to discard the datapacket received by the first receiving unit if the processor does notfind the context information; and a second sending unit, configured tosend an event reporting message to a gateway control plane device,wherein the event reporting message carries the characteristicinformation of the data packet received by the first receiving unit, sothat the gateway control plane device acquires the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the data packet.

In a first possible implementation, the gateway forwarding plane devicefurther includes: a second receiving unit, configured to receive thecontext information sent by the gateway control plane device; and afirst sending unit, configured to forward the data packet according tothe context information received by the second receiving unit.

In a second possible implementation, the second receiving unit isfurther configured to

receive an instruction message sent by the gateway control plane device;and the processor is further configured to discard the data packetaccording to the instruction message, and/or the first sending unit isfurther configured to notify a sending end of the data packet ofoccurrence of abnormity.

In combination with the sixth aspect or the first or second possibleimplementation of the sixth aspect, in a third possible implementation,the processor is further configured to judge whether a user equipmentinternet protocol (UE IP) address of the data packet is auser-subscribed static IP address.

According to the third possible implementation, in a fourth possibleimplementation, the processor is specifically configured to discard thedata packet if the UE IP address of the data packet is not auser-subscribed static IP address.

According to the third possible implementation, in a fifth possibleimplementation, the second sending unit is further configured to notify,if the UE IP address of the data packet is a user-subscribed static IPaddress, the gateway control plane device that the UE IP address of thedata packet is a user-subscribed static IP address, so that the gatewaycontrol plane device initiates a network-triggered packet data network(PDN) connection establishment procedure.

In combination with the sixth aspect or any one of the first to fifthpossible implementations of the sixth aspect, in a sixth possibleimplementation, the processor is further configured to:

delete part or all of context information stored by the memory of thegateway forwarding plane device.

According to the sixth possible implementation, in a seventh possibleimplementation, the processor is specifically configured to: delete partor all of context information stored by the gateway forwarding planedevice according to a second message that is sent by the gateway controlplane device and received by the second receiving unit; or delete, whenthe gateway forwarding plane device does not transmit any data packet ofa UE within a predefined time period, part or all of context informationof the UE stored by the gateway forwarding plane device.

According to the sixth or seventh possible implementation, in an eighthpossible implementation, the processor is specifically configured to:

delete part of the context information stored by the gateway forwardingplane device, wherein remaining context information at least comprisinga UE IP address.

In a seventh aspect, a gateway control plane device is provided,including: a receiving unit, configured to receive an event reportingmessage sent by a gateway forwarding plane device, wherein the eventreporting message carries characteristic information of a data packetreceived by the gateway forwarding plane device; and a processor,configured to acquire context information corresponding to thecharacteristic information of the data packet received by the receivingunit.

In a first possible implementation, the processor is specificallyconfigured to trigger, when a user equipment (UE) corresponding to thedata packet is in an Idle state, the UE to exit the Idle state; orspecifically configured to judge, when the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the data packet isnot found, whether a user equipment internet protocol (UE IP) address ofthe data packet is a user-subscribed static IP address, and if the UE IPaddress of the data packet is a user-subscribed static IP address, thegateway control plane device initiates a network-triggered packet datanetwork (PDN) connection establishment procedure; or specificallyconfigured to initiate a network-triggered PDN connection establishmentprocedure when the receiving unit receives information about that the UEIP address of the data packet is a user-subscribed static IP address,that is sent by the gateway forwarding plane device.

In a second possible implementation, the sending unit is furtherconfigured to: send the context information to the gateway forwardingplane device if the processor acquires the context information, so thatthe gateway forwarding plane device forwards the data packet accordingto the context information; and send a first message to the gatewayforwarding plane device if the processor does not acquire the contextinformation, wherein the first message is used for instructing thegateway forwarding plane device to discard the data packet and/or tonotify a sending end of the data packet of occurrence of abnormity.

In combination with the seventh aspect or the first or second possibleimplementation of the seventh aspect, in a third possibleimplementation, the sending unit is further configured to send a secondmessage to the gateway forwarding plane device, wherein the secondmessage is used for instructing the gateway forwarding plane device todelete part or all of context information stored by the gatewayforwarding plane device.

According to the third possible implementation, in a fourth possibleimplementation, the sending unit is specifically configured to send thesecond message to the gateway forwarding plane device when a UE does notexit an Idle state within a predefined time period, wherein the secondmessage is used for instructing the gateway forwarding plane device todelete part or all of context information of the UE stored by thegateway forwarding plane device.

In an eighth aspect, a gateway forwarding plane device is provided,including: a receiving unit, configured to receive an error notificationsent by a receiving end of a data packet; and a sending unit, configuredto send an error event reporting message to a gateway control planedevice, wherein the error event reporting message carries characteristicinformation of the data packet, so that the gateway control plane devicereleases a packet data network (PDN) connection or initiatesreestablishment according to the characteristic information of the datapacket.

In a first possible implementation, the sending unit is specificallyconfigured to: send an error notification packet to the gateway controlplane device.

In a ninth aspect, a gateway control plane device is provided,including: a receiving unit, configured to receive an error eventreporting message sent by a gateway forwarding plane device, wherein theerror event reporting message carries characteristic information of adata packet; and a processor, configured to release a packet datanetwork (PDN) connection or initiate reestablishment according to thecharacteristic information of the data packet received by the receivingunit.

In a first possible implementation, the receiving unit is specificallyconfigured to: receive an error notification packet sent by the gatewayforwarding plane device.

In a tenth aspect, a gateway forwarding plane device is provided,including: a receiving unit, configured to receive a data packet; and aprocessor, configured to extract characteristic information of the datapacket, search for context information corresponding to thecharacteristic information of the data packet, judge, if the contextinformation is not found, whether a user equipment internet protocol (UEIP) address of the data packet is a user-subscribed static IP address,and discard the data packet if the UE IP address of the data packet isnot a user-subscribed static IP address.

According to the embodiments of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, when the gatewayforwarding plane device does not find the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the received datapacket, the gateway forwarding plane device reports the characteristicinformation of the received data packet to the gateway control planedevice, so that the gateway control plane device acquires the contextinformation. In this way, the gateway forwarding plane device canacquire context information to the greatest extent under the conditionthat the context information is lost, thereby ensuring accurateforwarding of the data packet to the greatest extent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

To illustrate technical solutions in the embodiments of the presentinvention more clearly, a brief introduction on the accompanyingdrawings which are needed in the description of the embodiments or theprior art is given below. Apparently, the accompanying drawings in thedescription below are merely some of the embodiments of the presentinvention, based on which other accompanying drawings may be obtained bythose of ordinary skill in the art without any creative effort.

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication systemapplicable to a gateway system of an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method for processing information by agateway forwarding plane device of an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method for processing information by agateway forwarding plane device of another embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic flowchart of a process of a method for processinginformation under architecture that control and forwarding gatewaydevice are decoupled of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart of a process of a method for processinginformation under architecture that control and forwarding gatewaydevice are decoupled of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic flowchart of a process of a method for processinginformation under architecture that control and forwarding gatewaydevice are decoupled of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic flowchart of a process of a method for processinginformation under architecture that control and forwarding gatewaydevice are decoupled of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic flowchart of a process of a method for processinginformation under architecture that control and forwarding gatewaydevice are decoupled of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic flowchart of a process of a method for processinginformation under architecture that control and forwarding gatewaydevice are decoupled of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic flowchart of a process of a method for processinginformation under architecture that control and forwarding gatewaydevice are decoupled of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a schematic flowchart of a process of a method for processinginformation under architecture that control and forwarding gatewaydevice are decoupled of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a method for processing information by agateway forwarding plane device of an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a method for processing information by agateway control plane device of another embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 14 is a schematic flowchart of a process of a method for processinginformation under architecture that control and forwarding gatewaydevice are decoupled of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of a method for processing information by agateway forwarding plane device of an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of a device of an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 17 is a structural block diagram of a gateway forwarding planedevice of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a structural block diagram of a gateway control plane deviceof another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a structural block diagram of a gateway forwarding planedevice of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a structural block diagram of a gateway control plane deviceof another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is a structural block diagram of a gateway forwarding planedevice of an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention willbe described below clearly and fully in combination with theaccompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention.Apparently, the embodiments described below are merely a part, but notall, of the embodiments of the present invention. All of otherembodiments, obtained by those skilled in the art based on theembodiments of the present invention without any inventive effort, fallinto the protection scope of the present invention.

The technical solutions of the present invention may be applied tovarious communication systems, e.g., a global system of mobilecommunication (GSM, Global System of Mobile communication), a codedivision multiple access (CDMA, Code Division Multiple Access) system, awideband code division multiple access wireless (WCDMA, Wideband CodeDivision Multiple Access Wireless), a general packet radio service(GPRS, General Packet Radio Service), a long term evolution (LTE, LongTerm Evolution) and the like.

A user equipment (UE, User Equipment), also be referred to as a mobilestation (Mobile Station), a mobile user equipment and the like, maycommunicate with one or more core networks through a radio accessnetwork (e.g., RAN, Radio Access Network). The user equipment may be amobile station, such as, for example, a mobile phone (or referred to asa “cell” phone) and be a computer with a mobile station, such as, forexample, a portable, pocket-type, handheld, computer built-in orvehicle-mounted mobile apparatus, and they exchange language and/or datawith a radio access network.

A control plane device may be a control plane GW-C of a P-GW (PDNGateway)/S-GW (Serving Gateway) under an SAE architecture of a 3GPPevolved network, and a forwarding plane device may be a forwarding planeGW-U of the P-GW/S-GW. It should be noted that, the embodiments of thepresent invention are not limited thereto. The gateway control planedevice and the gateway forwarding plane device may be a control planedevice and a forwarding plane device after decoupling of control andforwarding of an RNC (Radio Network Controller, radio networkcontroller), an SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node, serving GPRS supportnode) and a GGSN (Gateway GPRS Support Node, gateway GPRS support node)in a GPRS (General Packet Radio Service, general packet radio service)network, or an evolved base station (eNodeB), an S-GW (Serving Gateway,serving gateway entity), a P-GW (Packet Data Network Gateway, packetdata network gateway), an S-GW/P-GW integrated device in an EPS (EvolvedPacket System, evolved packet system) network and the like.

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication systemapplicable to a gateway system of an embodiment of the presentinvention. For purpose of briefness, only one gateway control planedevice (GW-C) 11 and one gateway forwarding plane device (GW-U) 12 of agroup of gateway system are illustrated in the communication system ofFIG. 1. However, in the communication system of the embodiment of thepresent invention, no limitation is set to the number of the gatewaysystem(s), number of the gateway control plane device(s) and the numberof the gateway forwarding plane device(s).

Moreover, the communication system of FIG. 1 may further include a UE13, an RAN 14, a mobility management network element 15, a PDN 16 andthe like. The embodiment of the present invention does not setlimitation to the numbers of these network elements either.

The RAN 14 may include an access network element of various systems(e.g., GERAN, UTRAN or E-UTRAN), such as, for example, an RNC, an eNodeBand the like. The PDN 16 may be in form of WAP, Internet, VPN and thelike, which is not limited by the embodiment of the present invention.

Alternatively, as one embodiment, the gateway control plane device 11may be implemented with a general computing platform, and the gatewayforwarding plane device 12 may be implemented by a dedicated routerplatform. The general computing platform is suitable for processinginterface signaling; and signaling processing capability of thededicated router platform is relatively poor, but data forwardingefficiency of the dedicated router platform is relatively high. In thisway, design of a hardware platform can be simplified, cost of thehardware platform is reduced, and processing performances of a gatewaycontrol plane entity and a user plane entity are greatly enhanced.

The mobility management network element 15 may be an MME and/or an SGSN,and may be implemented with a general computing platform. Accordingly,as another embodiment, the gateway control plane device 11 and themobility management network element 15 may be integrated together, asshown in a dashed box 17 of FIG. 1, so as to reduce the number ofnetwork elements in the system.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a wireless link between the UE 13 and theRAN 14, a connection between the RAN 14 and the GW-U 12 and a connectionbetween the GW-U 12 and the PDN 16 constitute a data path of the UE 13.However, the data path of the UE 13 is not limited to a specific formlike this. For instance, the data path may be a connection or a tunnelbetween the RAN and the GW-U or between the GW-U and other gateway usedfor forwarding data of the UE, such as, for example, a GTP tunnel, a GREconnection, a service data stream and the like. The data path may be ina bearer granularity, a service data stream granularity or a usergranularity. The data path may also be a data connection between a userplane gateway and a VPN of a PDN.

The GW-C 11 may also be referred to as a control plane entity or acontrol plane gateway (Control Plane Gateway), or referred to as agateway controller (Gateway Controller), a control node (Control Node),a control gateway (Control Gateway) or the like. The embodiment of thepresent invention does not set limitation to a specific name of the GW-C11, as long as it is capable of realizing control plane functionality ofa gateway and is decoupled with the GW-U 12.

In addition, the GW-U 12 may also be referred to as a user plane entityor a user plane gateway (User Plane Gateway), or referred to as a packetdata forwarding gateway (Packet Data Forwarding Gateway), a routingforwarding node (Routing Forwarding Node), a switch node (Switch Node)or the like. The embodiment of the present invention does not setlimitation to a specific name of the GW-U 12, as long as it is capableof realizing user plane functionality of a gateway and is decoupled withthe GW-C 11.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method for processing information by agateway forwarding plane device of an embodiment of the presentinvention. The method of FIG. 2 is executed by a gateway forwardingplane device (e.g., the GW-U 12 of FIG. 1).

101, a data packet is received, and characteristic information of thedata packet is extracted.

102, context information corresponding to the characteristic informationof the data packet is searched for.

103, if the context information is not found, the data packet isbuffered or discarded.

104, an event reporting message is sent to a gateway control planedevice, wherein the event reporting message carries the characteristicinformation of the data packet, so that the gateway control plane deviceacquires the context information corresponding to the characteristicinformation of the data packet.

The embodiment of the present invention may be applied to conditionsthat a UE is in an Idle state, a UE is configured with a static IPaddress, a local end is abnormal and the like. It should be appreciatedthat the present invention does not set limitation to a condition towhich the method is applied.

It should be further understood that, the embodiment of the presentinvention does not set limitation to the number of the gatewayforwarding plane devices and the number of the gateway control planedevices, e.g., one gateway forwarding plane device may correspond to atleast one gateway control plane device.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, when the gatewayforwarding plane device does not find the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the received datapacket, the gateway forwarding plane device reports the characteristicinformation of the received data packet to the gateway control planedevice, so that the gateway control plane device acquires the contextinformation. In this way, the gateway forwarding plane device canacquire context information to the greatest extent under the conditionthat the context information is lost, thereby ensuring accurateforwarding of the data packet to the greatest extent.<0}

Alternatively, as one embodiment, the data packet received by thegateway forwarding plane device may be an uplink data packet and/or adownlink data packet. It should be understood that the embodiment of thepresent invention does not set limitation to a specific form of the datapacket received by the gateway forwarding plane device.

Specifically, the gateway forwarding plane device receives a packet,such as, for instance, a common IP packet, a GTP (GPRS TunnelingProtocol, GPRS tunneling protocol) packet, a PMIP (Proxy Mobile IP,proxy mobile IP) packet, an MIP (Mobile IP, mobile IP) packet, a GRE(Generic Route Encapsulation) packet, an L2TP (Layer 2 TunnellingProtocol) packet or the like.

Alternatively, as another embodiment, the characteristic information ofthe data packet includes an APN (Access Point Name, access point name),a UE IP address, tunnel information or the like. For example, tunnelinformation of a GTP packet includes a gateway IP address and a TEID(Tunnel End Identifier, GTP tunnel end identifier). For another example,tunnel information of a PMIP packet includes a gateway IP address and aGRE key (Generic Routing Encapsulation, generic routing encapsulationkey).

Alternatively, as another embodiment, after step 104, if the gatewaycontrol plane device acquires the context information, the gatewayforwarding plane device may receive the context information sent by thegateway control plane device, and forward the data packet according tothe context information.

Alternatively, as another embodiment, after step 104, if the gatewaycontrol plane device does not acquire the context information, thegateway forwarding plane device may receive an instruction message sentby the gateway control plane device, and discard the data packet and/ornotify a sending end of the data packet of occurrence of abnormityaccording to the instruction message.

Alternatively, as another embodiment, before step 103, it may be judgedwhether a user equipment internet protocol (UE IP) address of the datapacket is a user-subscribed static IP address. Further, in step 103, ifthe UE IP address of the data packet is not a user-subscribed static IPaddress, the data packet is discarded. Alternatively, the procedure maybe ended at the moment. In this way, signaling interaction between thegateway forwarding plane device and the gateway control plane device maybe effectively reduced. Or, if the UE IP address of the data packet is auser-subscribed static IP address, the gateway control plane device isnotified that the UE IP address of the data packet is a user-subscribedstatic IP address, so that the gateway control plane device initiates anetwork-triggered PDN (Packet Data Network, packet data network)connection establishment procedure.

Alternatively, as another embodiment, before step 101, the gatewayforwarding plane device may delete part or all of stored contextinformation. For example, the gateway forwarding plane device receives asecond message sent by the gateway control plane device, and deletespart or all of context information stored by the gateway forwardingplane device according to the second message. For another example, whenthe gateway forwarding plane device does not transmit any data packet ofa UE within a predefined time period, part or all of context informationof the above-mentioned UE stored by the gateway forwarding plane deviceis deleted. In this way, resources of the gateway forwarding planedevice are saved, and cost is reduced.

In the embodiment of the present invention, part or all of the contextinformation may be lost due to failure of the gateway forwarding planedevice. It should be understood that, no matter in which manner all orpart of the context information is deleted by the gateway forwardingplane device, it shall fall into the scope of the embodiment of thepresent invention. It also should be noted that, the embodiment of thepresent invention does not set limitation to a reason the gatewayforwarding plane device fails to find the context information.

Further, part of the context information stored by the gatewayforwarding plane device is deleted, and remaining context information atleast includes a UE IP address. Alternatively, it may be judged whetherthe UE IP address of the data packet is a UE IP address in the remainingcontext information. In step 103, if the UE IP address of the datapacket is not a UE IP address in the remaining context information, thedata packet is discarded. Alternatively, the procedure may be ended atthe moment. In this way, signaling interaction between the gatewayforwarding plane device and the gateway control plane device can beeffectively reduced.

Moreover, in existing network architecture, under conditions that a UEis in an Idle state, a UE is configured with a static IP address and alocal end is abnormal, methods for processing context information aredifferent from each other. Under a condition that an opposite end isabnormal, a gateway also has multiple different processing procedures.Therefore, processing of a device is relatively complex.

In the embodiment of the present invention, information processing underthe conditions that a UE is in an Idle state, a UE is configured with astatic IP address, a local end is abnormal and the like, is normalizedto the greatest extent, namely a same processing mechanism may beadopted. Therefore, it is unnecessary to maintain complex servicelogics, and processing complexity of a device is reduced.

Non-limited examples of a method, for processing information under theartitecture that control and forwarding of a gateway device aredecoupled, of the embodiment of the present invention will be describedin more detail below in combination with FIG. 4 to FIG. 11.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method for processing information by agateway forwarding plane device of another embodiment of the presentinvention. The method of FIG. 3 is executed by a gateway control planedevice (e.g., the GW-C 11 of FIG. 1).

201, an event reporting message sent by a gateway forwarding planedevice is received, wherein the event reporting message carriescharacteristic information of a data packet received by the gatewayforwarding plane device.

202, corresponding context information is acquired according to thecharacteristic information of the data packet.

The embodiment of the present invention may be applied to conditionsthat a UE is in an Idle state, a UE is configured with a static IPaddress, a local end is abnormal and the like. It should be appreciatedthat the present invention does not set limitation to a condition towhich the method is applied.

It should be further understood that, the embodiment of the presentinvention does not set limitation to the number of the gatewayforwarding plane devices and the number of the gateway control planedevices, e.g., one gateway forwarding plane device may correspond to atleast one gateway control plane device.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, when the gatewayforwarding plane device does not find the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the received datapacket, the gateway forwarding plane device reports the characteristicinformation of the received data packet to the gateway control planedevice, so that the gateway control plane device acquires the contextinformation. In this way, the gateway forwarding plane device canacquire context information to the greatest extent under the conditionthat the context information is lost, thereby ensuring accurateforwarding of the data packet to the greatest extent.<0}

According to the embodiment of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, the gatewayforwarding plane device searches for the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the received datapacket, and if the search fails, the gateway forwarding plane devicesends the event reporting message to the gateway control plane device,wherein the event reporting message carries the characteristicinformation of the data packet. The gateway control plane deviceacquires corresponding context information. In this way, informationprocessing under the conditions that a UE is in an Idle state, a UE isconfigured with a static IP address, a local end is abnormal and thelike, is normalized to the greatest extent. Therefore, it is unnecessaryto maintain complex service logics, and processing complexity of adevice is reduced.

Alternatively, as one embodiment, the data packet may be a GTP packet, aPMIP packet or the like. It should be understood that the presentinvention does not set limitation to specific form of the data packet.

Alternatively, as another embodiment, the characteristic information ofthe data packet includes an APN, a UE IP address, tunnel information orthe like. For example, tunnel information of a GTP packet includes agateway IP address and a TEID. For another example, tunnel informationof a PMIP packet includes a gateway IP address and a GRE key.

Alternatively, as another embodiment, in step 202, corresponding contextinformation is acquired according to the characteristic information ofthe data packet. Specifically, when a user equipment (UE) correspondingto the data packet is in an Idle state, the UE is triggered to exit theIdle state; or, when the context information is not found according tothe characteristic information of the data packet, it is judged whethera user equipment internet protocol (UE IP) address of the data packet isa user-subscribed static IP address, and if the UE IP address of thedata packet is a user-subscribed static IP address, the gateway controlplane device initiates a network-triggered PDN connection establishmentprocedure; or, the gateway control plane device receives informationabout that a UE IP address of the data packet is a user-subscribedstatic IP address, that is sent by the gateway forwarding plane device,and initiates a network-triggered PDN connection establishmentprocedure. Further, the context information is acquired, and may be sentto the gateway forwarding plane device, so that the gateway forwardingplane device forwards the data packet according to the contextinformation.

Alternatively, as another embodiment, in step 202, if the contextinformation is not acquired, a first message may be sent to the gatewayforwarding plane device, wherein the first message is used forinstructing the gateway forwarding plane device to discard the datapacket and/or to notify a sending end of the data packet of occurrenceof abnormity.

Alternatively, as another embodiment, before step 201, a second messagemay be sent to the gateway forwarding plane device, wherein the secondmessage is used for instructing the gateway forwarding plane device todelete part or all of context information stored by the gatewayforwarding plane device. Specifically, when a UE does not exit an Idlestate within a predefined time period, the gateway control plane devicesends the second message to the gateway forwarding plane device, whereinthe second message is used for instructing the gateway forwarding planedevice to delete part or all of context information of theabove-mentioned UE stored by the gateway forwarding plane device. Inthis way, resources of the gateway forwarding plane device are saved,and cost is reduced.

It should be understood that, no matter in which manner all or part ofthe context information is deleted by the gateway forwarding planedevice, it shall fall into the scope of the embodiment of the presentinvention.

Further, the gateway control plane device instructs the gatewayforwarding plane device to delete part of the context information storedby the gateway forwarding plane device, wherein remaining contextinformation at least includes a UE IP address.

Moreover, in existing network architecture, under conditions that a UEis in an Idle state, a UE is configured with a static IP address and alocal end is abnormal, methods for processing context information aredifferent from each other. Under a condition that an opposite end isabnormal, a gateway also has multiple different processing procedures.Therefore, processing of a device is relatively complex.

In the embodiment of the present invention, information processing underthe conditions that a UE is in an Idle state, a UE is configured with astatic IP address, a local end is abnormal and the like, is normalizedto the greatest extent, namely a same processing mechanism may beadopted. Therefore, it is unnecessary to maintain complex servicelogics, and processing complexity of a device is reduced.

The embodiment of the present invention will be described in detailbelow in combination with specific examples. In FIG. 4 to FIG. 11 below,the gateway control plane device may be a unified gateway control planeUGW-C under SAE architecture of a 3GPP evolved network, and the gatewayforwarding plane device may be a unified gateway forwarding plane UGW-U.It should be noted that the embodiment of the present invention is notlimited thereto, and they may be gateway devices of which control andforwarding are decoupled of other network. It should be furtherunderstood that the embodiment of the present invention does not setlimitation to the number of the gateway forwarding plane devices and thenumber of the gateway control plane devices, e.g., one gatewayforwarding plane device may correspond to at least one gateway controlplane device. FIG. 4 to FIG. 11 are schematic flowcharts of processes ofa method for processing information under the architecture that controland forwarding are decoupled in the embodiment of the present invention,which is applicable to the gateway system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a schematic flowchart of a process of a method for processinginformation under the architecture that control and forwarding aredecoupled of an embodiment of the present invention.

The method of FIG. 4 may be applied to conditions that a UE is in anIdle state, a UE is configured with a static IP address, a local end isabnormal and the like. It should be appreciated that the presentinvention does not set limitation to a condition to which the method isapplied.

301, a PDN connection is activated.

302, if a gateway forwarding plane device does not transmit any datapacket of a UE within a predefined time period, all context informationof the UE is deleted.

For example, the gateway forwarding plane device may pre-configure atime period threshold, or the gateway forwarding plane device receives atime period threshold sent by a gateway control plane device. When anamount of time in which the gateway forwarding plane device does nottransmit any data packet of the UE exceeds the time period threshold,the gateway forwarding plane device deletes all of the stored contextinformation of the UE. In this way, resources of the gateway forwardingplane device are saved, and cost is reduced.

303, the gateway forwarding plane device receives an uplink or adownlink data packet.

For example, the gateway forwarding plane device receives a downlinkdata packet, such as a common IP packet, a GTP (GPRS Tunneling Protocol,GPRS tunneling protocol) packet. a PMIP (Proxy Mobile IP, proxy mobileIP) packet, an MIP (Mobile IP, mobile IP) packet, a GRE (Generic RouteEncapsulation) packet, an L2TP (Layer 2 Tunnelling Protocol) packet orthe like.

304, the gateway forwarding plane device searches for contextinformation corresponding to characteristic information of the datapacket, and buffers or discards the data packet if the search fails.

The characteristic information of the data packet may include an APN, aUE IP address, tunnel information or the like. For example, tunnelinformation of a GTP packet includes a gateway IP address and a TEID.For another example, tunnel information of a PMIP packet includes agateway IP address and a GRE key.

For example, since the gateway forwarding plane device has deleted thecontext information of the UE, the corresponding context information isnot found, namely the search fails. At the moment, the gatewayforwarding plane device may buffer the data packet or discard the datapacket.

Alternatively, the gateway forwarding plane device may further judgewhether a UE IP address of the received data packet is a user-subscribedstatic IP address according to a list of static IP addresses. Forexample, the list of static IP addresses may be configured by anadministrator, including configuring locally or configuring remotely. Ifthe UE IP address is not a user-subscribed static IP address, the datapacket is discarded. Alternatively, the procedure may be ended at themoment. In this way, signaling interaction between the forwarding planedevice and the control plane device may be effectively reduced.

305, the gateway forwarding plane device sends an event reportingmessage to the gateway control plane device, wherein the event reportingmessage carries the characteristic information of the data packet.

Alternatively, the gateway forwarding plane device may also send ajudgment result of whether the UE IP address of the data packet is auser-subscribed static IP address to the gateway control plane device.For example, if the UE IP address of the data packet belongs to the listof static IP addresses, then the UE IP address of the data packet is auser-subscribed static IP address, and the gateway forwarding planedevice sends information about that the UE IP address is auser-subscribed static IP address to the gateway control plane device.

306, the gateway control plane device acquires the corresponding contextinformation.

Alternatively, in one implementation manner, the gateway control planedevice acquires the corresponding context information, and step 307 isexecuted. For example, when a UE corresponding to the characteristicinformation of the data packet received by the network control planedevice in step 305 is in an Idle state, the gateway control plane devicemay trigger the UE to exit the Idle state. Specifically, a servicerequest triggered by network is initiated. Or, when the gateway controlplane device searches for the corresponding context informationaccording to the characteristic information of the data packet receivedin step 305, and the search fails, it is judged whether a UE IP addressof the data packet is a user-subscribed static IP address, and if the UEIP address of the data packet is a user-subscribed static IP address,the control plane device initiates a network-triggered packet datanetwork (PDN) connection establishment procedure. Or, the gatewaycontrol plane device receives information about that a UE IP address ofthe data packet is a user-subscribed static IP address, that is sent bythe gateway forwarding plane device, and initiates a network-triggeredPDN connection establishment procedure.

In another implementation manner, when the gateway control plane devicedoes not acquire the corresponding context information, e.g., thegateway control plane device searches for the context informationaccording to the characteristic information of the data packet receivedin step 305, and the search fails, and further, if it is judged that theUE IP address of the data packet is not a user-subscribed static IPaddress, the gateway control plane device may send an instructionmessage to the gateway forwarding plane device, wherein the instructionmessage is used for instructing the gateway forwarding plane device todiscard the data packet and/or to notify a sending end of the datapacket of occurrence of abnormity.

307, the gateway control plane device sends the acquired contextinformation to the gateway forwarding plane device.

308, the gateway forwarding plane device forwards the data packetaccording to the context information.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, when the gatewayforwarding plane device does not find the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the received datapacket, the gateway forwarding plane device reports the characteristicinformation of the received data packet to the gateway control planedevice, so that the gateway control plane device acquires the contextinformation. In this way, the gateway forwarding plane device canacquire context information to the greatest extent under the conditionthat the context information is lost, thereby ensuring accurateforwarding of the data packet to the greatest extent.

Moreover, information processing under the conditions that a UE is in anIdle state, a UE is configured with a static IP address, a local end isabnormal and the like, is normalized to the greatest extent, namely asame processing mechanism may be adopted. Therefore, it is unnecessaryto maintain complex service logics, and processing complexity of adevice is reduced.

FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart of a process of a method for processinginformation of another embodiment of the present invention.

The method of FIG. 5 is applied to the condition that a UE is in an Idlestate. It should be understood that the embodiment of the presentinvention does not limit the condition such as a UE is configured with astatic IP address, a local end is abnormal and the like.

401, a gateway control plane device modifies context information when aUE enters into an Idle state or after a UE enters into an Idle state fora period of time.

Alternatively, a gateway control plane device may instruct the gatewayforwarding plane device to modify related context information.

402, if the gateway forwarding plane device does not transmit any datapacket of the UE within a predefined time period, the gateway forwardingplane device deletes all context information of the UE.

For example, the gateway forwarding plane device may pre-configure atime period threshold, or the gateway forwarding plane device receives atime period threshold sent by a gateway control plane device. When anamount of time in which the gateway forwarding plane device does nottransmit any data packet of the UE exceeds the time period threshold,the gateway forwarding plane device deletes all of the stored contextinformation of the UE. In this way, resources of the gateway forwardingplane device are saved, and cost is reduced.

403, the gateway forwarding plane device receives an uplink or adownlink data packet.

For example, the gateway forwarding plane device receives a downlinkdata packet, such as a GTP packet or a PMIP packet.

404, the gateway forwarding plane device searches for contextinformation corresponding to characteristic information of the datapacket, and buffers or discards the data packet if the search fails.

The characteristic information of the data packet includes an APN, a UEIP address, tunnel information or the like. For example, tunnelinformation of a GTP packet includes a gateway IP address and a TEID.For another example, tunnel information of a PMIP packet includes agateway IP address and a GRE key.

For example, since the gateway forwarding plane device has deleted thecontext information of the UE, the corresponding context information isnot found, namely the search fails. At the moment, the gatewayforwarding plane device may buffer the data packet or discard the datapacket.

Alternatively, the gateway forwarding plane device may further judgewhether a UE IP address of the received data packet is a user-subscribedstatic IP address according to a list of static IP addresses. Forexample, the list of static IP addresses may be configured by anadministrator, including configuring locally or configuring remotely. Ifthe UE IP address is not a user-subscribed static IP address, the datapacket is discarded. Alternatively, the procedure may be ended at themoment. In this way, signaling interaction between the forwarding planedevice and the control plane device may be effectively reduced.

405, the gateway forwarding plane device sends an event reportingmessage to the gateway control plane device, wherein the event reportingmessage carries the characteristic information of the data packet.

Alternatively, the gateway forwarding plane device may also send ajudgment result of whether the UE IP address of the data packet is auser-subscribed static IP address to the gateway control plane device.For example, if the UE IP address of the data packet belongs to the listof static IP addresses, then the UE IP address of the data packet is auser-subscribed static IP address, and the gateway forwarding planedevice sends information about that the UE IP address is auser-subscribed static IP address to the gateway control plane device.

406, the gateway control plane device triggers the UE to exit the Idlestate.

Alternatively, in one implementation manner, the gateway control planedevice acquires the corresponding context information, and step 407 isexecuted. For example, when a UE corresponding to the characteristicinformation of the data packet received by the network control planedevice in step 405 is in an Idle state, the gateway control plane devicemay trigger the UE to exit the Idle state. For example, the gatewaycontrol plane device initiates a network-triggered service requestprocedure.

In another implementation manner, when the gateway control plane devicedoes not acquire the corresponding context information, the gatewaycontrol plane device may send an instruction message to the gatewayforwarding plane device, wherein the instruction message is used forinstructing the gateway forwarding plane device to discard the datapacket and/or to notify a sending end of the data packet of occurrenceof abnormity.

407, the gateway control plane device sends the acquired contextinformation to the gateway forwarding plane device.

408, the gateway forwarding plane device forwards the data packetaccording to the context information.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, when the UE isin an Idle state, and the g gateway forwarding plane device does nottransmit any data packet of the UE, the g gateway forwarding planedevice deletes all context information, thereby saving resources. Whenthe gateway forwarding plane device does not find the contextinformation corresponding to the characteristic information of thereceived data packet, the gateway forwarding plane device reports thecharacteristic information of the received data packet to the gatewaycontrol plane device, so that the gateway control plane device acquiresthe context information. In this way, the gateway forwarding planedevice can acquire context information to the greatest extent under thecondition that the context information is lost, thereby ensuringaccurate forwarding of the data packet to the greatest extent.

Moreover, information processing under the conditions that a UE is in anIdle state, a UE is configured with a static IP address, a local end isabnormal and the like, is normalized to the greatest extent, namely asame processing mechanism may be adopted. Therefore, it is unnecessaryto maintain complex service logics, and processing complexity of adevice is reduced.

FIG. 6 is a schematic flowchart of a process of a method for processinginformation under the architecture that control and forwarding aredecoupled of another embodiment of the present invention.

In the schematic flowchart shown in FIG. 6, the steps which are the sameas or similar to those in FIG. 4 are indicated by same reference signs,and thus are not redundantly described herein so as to avoid repetition.The method of FIG. 5 is applied to the condition that a UE is in an Idlestate. It should be understood that, the embodiment of the presentinvention does not limit the condition such as a UE is configured with astatic IP address, a local end is abnormal and the like.

501, a gateway control plane device modifies context information when aUE enters into an Idle state.

Alternatively, a gateway control plane device may instruct the gatewayforwarding plane device to modify related context information.

502, the gateway control plane device instructs the gateway forwardingplane device to delete all context information of the UE stored by thegateway forwarding plane device.

For example, the gateway control plane device may send a second messageto the gateway forwarding plane device, wherein the second message isused for instructing the gateway forwarding plane device to delete allof stored context information of the UE. Further, the gateway controlplane device may pre-configure a time period threshold, and send theabove-mentioned second message to the gateway forwarding plane devicewhen an amount of time in which the UE does not exit the Idle stateexceeds the time period threshold. In this way, resources of the gatewayforwarding plane device are saved, and cost is reduced.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, when the gatewayforwarding plane device does not find the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the received datapacket, the gateway forwarding plane device reports the characteristicinformation of the received data packet to the gateway control planedevice, so that the gateway control plane device acquires the contextinformation. In this way, the gateway forwarding plane device canacquire context information to the greatest extent under the conditionthat the context information is lost, thereby ensuring accurateforwarding of the data packet to the greatest extent.

Moreover, information processing under the conditions that a UE is in anIdle state, a UE is configured with a static IP address, a local end isabnormal and the like, is normalized to the greatest extent, namely asame processing mechanism may be adopted. Therefore, it is unnecessaryto maintain complex service logics, and processing complexity of adevice is reduced.

FIG. 7 is a schematic flowchart of a process of a method for processinginformation under the architecture that control and forwarding aredecoupled of another embodiment of the present invention.

In the schematic flowchart shown in FIG. 7, the steps which are the sameas or similar to those in FIG. 5 are indicated by same reference signs,and thus are not redundantly described herein so as to avoid repetition.The method of FIG. 7 is applied to the condition that a UE is in an Idlestate. It should be understood that, the embodiment of the presentinvention does not limit the condition such as a UE is configured with astatic IP address, a local end is abnormal and the like.

601, a gateway control plane device modifies context information after aUE enters into an Idle state for a period of time.

Alternatively, the gateway control plane device may instruct a gatewayforwarding plane device to modify corresponding context information.

602, the UE does not exit the Idle state within a predefined timeperiod.

603, the gateway control plane device instructs the gateway forwardingplane device to delete all context information of the UE stored by thegateway forwarding plane device.

For example, the gateway control plane device may pre-configure a timeperiod threshold, and send a second message to the gateway forwardingplane device when an amount of time in which UE does not exit the Idlestate exceeds the time period threshold, wherein the second message isused for instructing the gateway forwarding plane device to delete allcontext information of the UE stored by the gateway forwarding planedevice. In this way, resources of the gateway forwarding plane deviceare saved, and cost is reduced.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, when the gatewayforwarding plane device does not find the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the received datapacket, the gateway forwarding plane device reports the characteristicinformation of the received data packet to the gateway control planedevice, so that the gateway control plane device acquires the contextinformation. In this way, the gateway forwarding plane device canacquire context information to the greatest extent under the conditionthat the context information is lost, thereby ensuring accurateforwarding of the data packet to the greatest extent.

Moreover, information processing under the conditions that a UE is in anIdle state, a UE is configured with a static IP address, a local end isabnormal and the like, is normalized to the greatest extent, namely asame processing mechanism may be adopted. Therefore, it is unnecessaryto maintain complex service logics, and processing complexity of adevice is reduced.

FIG. 8 is a schematic flowchart of a process of a method for processinginformation under the architecture that control and forwarding aredecoupled of another embodiment of the present invention.

In the schematic flowchart shown in FIG. 8, the steps which are the sameas or similar to those in FIG. 4 are indicated by same reference signs,and thus are not redundantly described herein for avoiding repetition.The method of FIG. 8 may be applied to conditions that a UE is in anIdle state, a UE is configured with a static IP address, a local end isabnormal and the like. It should be understood that the presentinvention does not set limitation to a condition to which the method isapplied.

702, a gateway forwarding plane device does not transmit any data packetwithin a predefined time period, and deletes part of contextinformation.

For example, the gateway forwarding plane device may pre-configure atime period threshold or the forwarding plane device receives a timeperiod threshold sent by a control plane device, and when an amount oftime in which the gateway forwarding plane device transmit any datapacket of a UE exceeds the time period threshold, the gateway forwardingplane device deletes part of the context information. In this way,resources of the gateway forwarding plane device are saved, and cost isreduced. Further, remaining part of the context information which is notdeleted at least includes a UE IP address. Alternatively, the remainingpart of the context information may further include an access point name(APN) and tunnel information. Further, if one gateway forwarding planedevice corresponds to multiple gateway control plane devices, at leastone gateway control plane device IP address may be further reserved.

704, the gateway forwarding plane device searches for contextinformation corresponding to characteristic information of a datapacket, and buffers or discards the data packet if the search fails.

The characteristic information of the data packet includes an APN, a UEIP address, tunnel information or the like. For example, tunnelinformation of a GTP packet includes a gateway IP address and a TEID.For another example, tunnel information of a PMIP packet includes agateway IP address and a GRE key.

For example, since the gateway forwarding plane device has deleted thecontext information of the UE, the corresponding context information isnot found, namely the search fails. The gateway forwarding plane devicemay buffer the data packet or discard the data packet.

Alternatively, if a UE IP address of the received data packet is not aUE IP address in the undeleted part of context information in step 702,the data packet is discarded. Alternatively, the procedure may be endedat the moment, or the gateway forwarding plane device may further judgewhether the UE IP address of the received data packet is auser-subscribed static IP address according to a list of static IPaddresses. For example, the list of static IP addresses may beconfigured by an administrator, including configuring locally orconfiguring remotely. If the UE IP address is not a user-subscribedstatic IP address, the data packet is discarded. Alternatively, theprocedure may be ended at the moment. In this way, signaling interactionbetween the forwarding plane device and the control plane device may beeffectively reduced.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, when the gatewayforwarding plane device does not find the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the received datapacket, the gateway forwarding plane device reports the characteristicinformation of the received data packet to the gateway control planedevice, so that the gateway control plane device acquires the contextinformation. In this way, the gateway forwarding plane device canacquire context information to the greatest extent under the conditionthat the context information is lost, thereby ensuring accurateforwarding of the data packet to the greatest extent.

Moreover, information processing under the conditions that a UE is in anIdle state, a UE is configured with a static IP address, a local end isabnormal and the like, is normalized to the greatest extent, namely asame processing mechanism may be adopted. Therefore, it is unnecessaryto maintain complex service logics, and processing complexity of adevice is reduced.

FIG. 9 is a schematic flowchart of a process of a method for processinginformation under the architecture that control and forwarding aredecoupled of another embodiment of the present invention.

In the schematic flowchart shown in FIG. 9, the steps which are the sameas or similar to those in FIG. 4 are indicated by same reference signs,and thus are not redundantly described herein so as to avoid repetition.The method of FIG. 9 may be applied to conditions that a UE is in anIdle state, a UE is configured with a static IP address, a local end isabnormal and the like. It should be understood that the presentinvention does not set limitation to a condition to which the method isapplied.

802, a gateway forwarding plane device fails, which results in that allor part of context information is lost.

804, the gateway forwarding plane device searches for contextinformation corresponding to characteristic information of a datapacket, and buffers or discards the data packet if the search fails.

The characteristic information of the data packet includes an APN, a UEIP address, tunnel information or the like. For example, tunnelinformation of a GTP packet includes a gateway IP address and a TEID.For another example, tunnel information of a PMIP packet includes agateway IP address and a GRE key.

For example, all of the context information is lost, and the gatewayforwarding plane device cannot find corresponding context information,namely the search fails. The gateway forwarding plane device may bufferthe data packet or discard the data packet. Alternatively, the gatewayforwarding plane device may further judge whether a UE IP address of thereceived data packet is a user-subscribed static IP address according toa list of static IP addresses. For example, the list of static IPaddresses may be configured by an administrator, including configuringlocally or configuring remotely. If the UE IP address is not auser-subscribed static IP address, the data packet is discarded.Alternatively, the procedure may be ended at the moment. In this way,signaling interaction between the forwarding plane device and thecontrol plane device may be effectively reduced.

For another example, part of the context information is lost, and thegateway forwarding plane device cannot find corresponding contextinformation, namely the search fails. The gateway forwarding planedevice may buffer the data packet or discard the data packet.Alternatively, if part of the context information which is not lostincludes a UE IP address, and a UE IP address of the received datapacket is not a UE IP address in the remaining part of contextinformation in step 802, the data packet is discarded. Alternatively,the procedure may be ended at the moment, or the gateway forwardingplane device may further judge whether the UE IP address of the receiveddata packet is a user-subscribed static IP address according to a listof static IP addresses. For example, the list of static IP addresses maybe configured by an administrator, including configuring locally orconfiguring remotely. If the UE IP address is not a user-subscribedstatic IP address, the data packet is discarded. Alternatively, theprocedure may be ended at the moment. In this way, signaling interactionbetween the forwarding plane device and the control plane device may beeffectively reduced.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, when the gatewayforwarding plane device does not find the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the received datapacket, the gateway forwarding plane device reports the characteristicinformation of the received data packet to the gateway control planedevice, so that the gateway control plane device acquires the contextinformation. In this way, the gateway forwarding plane device canacquire context information to the greatest extent under the conditionthat the context information is lost, thereby ensuring accurateforwarding of the data packet to the greatest extent.

Moreover, information processing under the conditions that a UE is in anIdle state, a UE is configured with a static IP address, a local end isabnormal and the like, is normalized to the greatest extent, namely asame processing mechanism may be adopted. Therefore, it is unnecessaryto maintain complex service logics, and processing complexity of adevice is reduced.

FIG. 10 is a schematic flowchart of a process of a method for processinginformation under the architecture that control and forwarding aredecoupled of another embodiment of the present invention.

The method of FIG. 10 is applied to a condition that a UE is configuredwith a static IP address. It should be understood that, the embodimentof the present invention does not limit the condition such as a UE is inan Idle state, a local end is abnormal and the like.

901, a gateway forwarding plane device receives a downlink data packet.

For example, the gateway forwarding plane device receives a GTP packetor a PMIP packet.

Alternatively, as one embodiment, the data packet received by thegateway forwarding plane device may be an uplink data packet and/or adownlink data packet. It should be understood that the embodiment ofpresent invention does not set limitation to specific form of the datapacket.

902, gateway forwarding plane does not find context informationcorresponding to characteristic information of the data packet.

The characteristic information of the data packet includes an APN, a UEIP address, tunnel information or the like. For example, tunnelinformation of a GTP packet includes a gateway IP address and a TEID.For another example, tunnel information of a PMIP packet includes agateway IP address and a GRE key.

For example, under the condition that a UE is configured with a staticIP address and a PDN connection is not activated, the gateway forwardingplane device fails to find the context information.

Alternatively, step 903 is executed.

903, the gateway forwarding plane device judges whether a UE IP addressis a user-subscribed static IP address.

Alternatively, the gateway forwarding plane device may judge whether aUE IP address of the received data packet is a user-subscribed static IPaddress according to a list of static IP addresses. For example, thelist of static IP addresses may be configured by an administrator,including configuring locally or configuring remotely.

904, the gateway forwarding plane device buffers or discards the datapacket.

For example, if the UE IP address is not a user-subscribed static IPaddress, the data packet is discarded, and alternatively, the proceduremay be ended at the moment. In this way, signaling interaction betweenthe forwarding plane device and the control plane device may beeffectively reduced. If the UE IP address is a user-subscribed static IPaddress, step 905 may be further executed.

905, the gateway forwarding plane device sends information about thatthe UE IP address is a user-subscribed static IP address to a gatewaycontrol plane device.

906, the gateway forwarding plane device sends an event reportingmessage to the gateway control plane device, wherein the event reportingmessage carries the characteristic information of the data packet.

907, the gateway control plane device judges whether the UE IP addressis a user-subscribed static IP address.

908, the gateway control plane device initiates a network-triggered PDNconnection establishment procedure.

Alternatively, in one implementation manner, the gateway control planedevice acquires corresponding context information, and step 909 isexecuted. For example, if in step 905, the information about that the UEIP address is a user-subscribed static IP address, that is sent by theforwarding plane device, is received, or in step 907, the gatewaycontrol plane device judges that the UE IP address of the data packet isa user-subscribed static IP address, the gateway control plane deviceinitiates the network-triggered PDN connection establishment procedure.

In another implementation manner, when the gateway control plane devicedoes not acquire corresponding context information, for example, in step906, the gateway control plane device fails to find the contextinformation corresponding to the characteristic information of the datapacket received, and in step 907, further judges that a user IP addressof the data packet is not a user-subscribed static IP address, thegateway control plane device sends an instruction message to the gatewayforwarding plane device, wherein the instruction message is used forinstructing the gateway forwarding plane device to discard the datapacket and/or to notify a sending end of the data packet of occurrenceof abnormity.

909, the gateway control plane device sends the acquired contextinformation to the forwarding plane device.

910, the gateway forwarding plane device forwards the data packetaccording to the context information.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, when the gatewayforwarding plane device does not find the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the received datapacket, the gateway forwarding plane device reports the characteristicinformation of the received data packet to the gateway control planedevice, so that the gateway control plane device acquires the contextinformation. In this way, the gateway forwarding plane device canacquire context information to the greatest extent under the conditionthat the context information is lost, thereby ensuring accurateforwarding of the data packet to the greatest extent.

Moreover, information processing under the conditions that a UE is in anIdle state, a UE is configured with a static IP address, a local end isabnormal and the like, is normalized to the greatest extent, namely asame processing mechanism may be adopted. Therefore, it is unnecessaryto maintain complex service logics, and processing complexity of adevice is reduced.

FIG. 11 is a schematic flowchart of a process of a method for processinginformation under the architecture that control and forwarding aredecoupled of another embodiment of the present invention.

The method of FIG. 11 is applied to a condition that a local end isabnormal. It should be understood that, the embodiment of the presentinvention does not limit the condition such as a UE is configured with astatic IP address, a UE is in an Idle state and the like.

1001, a gateway forwarding plane device receives an uplink or a downlinkdata packet.

For example, the gateway forwarding plane device receives a downlinkdata packet. Specifically, the gateway forwarding plane device receivesa common IP packet, a GTP (GPRS Tunneling Protocol, GPRS tunnelingprotocol) packet, a PMIP (Proxy Mobile IP, proxy mobile IP) packet, anMIP (Mobile IP, mobile IP) packet, a GRE (Generic Route Encapsulation)packet, an L2TP (Layer 2 Tunnelling Protocol) packet or the like.

1002, the gateway forwarding plane device searches for contextinformation corresponding to characteristic information of the datapacket, and buffers or discards the data packet if the search fails.

The characteristic information of the data packet includes an APN, a UEIP address, tunnel information or the like. For example, tunnelinformation of a GTP packet includes a gateway IP address and a TEID.For another example, tunnel information of a PMIP packet includes agateway IP address and a GRE key.

For example, in the embodiment of the present invention, all or part ofcontext information is lost due to failure of the forwarding planedevice; or, the gateway forwarding plane device deletes all or part ofcontext information, so that the search of the context informationfails. It should be understood that, no matter in which manner all orpart of the context information is deleted by the gateway forwardingplane device, it shall fall into the scope of the embodiment of thepresent invention. It also should be noted that, the embodiment of thepresent invention does not set limitation to a reason the gatewayforwarding plane device fails to find the context information.

Alternatively, the gateway forwarding plane device may further judgewhether a UE IP address of the received data packet is a user-subscribedstatic IP address according to a list of static IP addresses. Forexample, the list of static IP addresses may be configured by anadministrator, including configuring locally or configuring remotely. Ifthe UE IP address is not a user-subscribed static IP address, the datapacket is discarded. Alternatively, the procedure may be ended at themoment. In this way, signaling interaction between the forwarding planedevice and the control plane device may be effectively reduced.

1003, the gateway forwarding plane device sends an event reportingmessage to a gateway control plane device, wherein the event reportingmessage carries the characteristic information of the data packet.

Alternatively, the gateway forwarding plane device may also send ajudgment result of whether the UE IP address of the data packet is auser-subscribed static IP address to the gateway control plane device.For example, if the UE IP address of the data packet belongs to the listof static IP addresses, then the UE IP address of the data packet is auser-subscribed static IP address, and the gateway forwarding planedevice sends information about that the UE IP address is auser-subscribed static IP address to the gateway control plane device.

1004, the gateway forwarding plane device fails to find the contextinformation corresponding to the characteristic information of the datapacket.

Alternatively, step 1005 is executed or step 1006 is executed.

1005, the gateway control plane device judges whether the UE IP addressis a user-subscribed static IP address.

Further, when in step 1005, the gateway control plane device judges thatthe UE IP address of the data packet is not a user-subscribed static IPaddress, step 1006 is alternatively executed.

1006, the gateway control plane device sends an instruction message tothe gateway forwarding plane device.

1007, the gateway forwarding plane device discards the data packetand/or notifies a sending end of the data packet of occurrence ofabnormity according to the instruction message.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, when the gatewayforwarding plane device does not find the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the received datapacket, the characteristic information of the received data packet isreported to the gateway control plane device, so that the gatewaycontrol plane device acquires the context information. If the controlplane device does not acquire the corresponding context information, thecontrol plane device may instruct the forwarding plane device to discardthe data packet and/or to notify the sending end of the data packet ofoccurrence of abnormity. In this way, information processing under theconditions that, a local end is abnormal, and in the meanwhile, a UE isin an Idle state, a UE is configured with a static IP address and thelike, is normalized to the greatest extent, namely a same processingmechanism may be adopted. Therefore, it is unnecessary to maintaincomplex service logics, and processing complexity of a device isreduced.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a method for processing information by agateway forwarding plane device of an embodiment of the presentinvention. The method of FIG. 12 is executed by a gateway forwardingplane device (e.g. GW-U 12 of FIG. 1).

1101, an error notification sent by a receiving end of a data packet isreceived.

1102, an error event reporting message is sent to a gateway controlplane device, wherein the error event reporting message carriescharacteristic information of the data packet, so that the gatewaycontrol plane device releases a packet data network (PDN) connection orinitiates reestablishment according to the characteristic information ofthe data packet.

The embodiment of the present invention may be applied to conditionsthat a UE is in an Idle state, a UE is configured with a static IPaddress, a local end is abnormal and the like. It should be understoodthat the present invention does not set limitation to a specificcondition to which the method is applied.

It should be further understood that the embodiment of the presentinvention does not set limitation to the number of the gatewayforwarding plane devices and the number of the gateway control planedevices, e.g., one gateway forwarding plane device may correspond to atleast one gateway control plane device.

The characteristic information of the data packet includes an APN, a UEIP address, tunnel information or the like. For example, tunnelinformation of a GTP packet includes a gateway IP address and a TEID.For another example, tunnel information of a PMIP packet includes agateway IP address and a GRE key.

Alternatively, as one embodiment, the data packet may be a GTP packet, aPMIP packet or the like.

Alternatively, as another embodiment, the error notification may be aGTP error instruction packet, an ICMIP (Internet Control MessageProtocol, internet control message protocol) packet or the like.

Alternatively, as another embodiment, in step 1102, an error instructionpacket may be sent to the gateway control plane device and the errorinstruction packet carries the characteristic information of the datapacket, and may notify the gateway control plane in a signaling format,but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.

Non-limited examples of a method for processing information under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled of the embodimentof the present invention will be described in more detail below incombination with FIG. 14.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, when the errornotification sent by the receiving end of the data packet is received,the gateway forwarding plane device reports the characteristicinformation of the data packet to the gateway control plane device, sothat the gateway control plane device releases the PDN connection orinitiates reestablishment according to the characteristic information ofthe data packet. In this way, the gateway forwarding plane device canacquire the context information to the greatest extent under thecondition that the context information is lost, thereby ensuringaccurate forwarding of the data packet to the greatest extent.

Moreover, information processing under the conditions that a UE is in anIdle state, a UE is configured with a static IP address, a local end isabnormal and the like, is normalized to the greatest extent, namely asame processing mechanism may be adopted. Therefore, it is unnecessaryto maintain complex service logics, and processing complexity of adevice is reduced.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a method for processing information by agateway forwarding plane device of another embodiment of the presentinvention. The method of FIG. 13 is executed by a gateway control planedevice (e.g. GW-C 11 of FIG. 1), and corresponds to the method of FIG.12. Hence, description repeating the embodiment of FIG. 12 isappropriately omitted.

1201, an error event reporting message sent by a gateway forwardingplane device is received, wherein the error event reporting messagecarries characteristic information of a data packet.

1202, a packet data network (PDN) connection is released orreestablishment is initiated according to the characteristic informationof the data packet.

The embodiment of the present invention may be applied to conditionsthat a UE is in an Idle state, a UE is configured with a static IPaddress, a local end is abnormal and the like. It should be understoodthat the present invention does not set limitation to a specificcondition to which the method is applied.

It should be further understood that, the embodiment of the presentinvention does not set limitation to the number of the gatewayforwarding plane devices and the number of the gateway control planedevices, e.g., one gateway forwarding plane device may correspond to atleast one gateway control plane device.

The characteristic information of the data packet includes an APN, a UEIP address, tunnel information or the like. For example, tunnelinformation of a GTP packet includes a gateway IP address and a TEID.For another example, tunnel information of a PMIP packet includes agateway IP address and a GRE key.

Alternatively, as one embodiment, the data packet may be a GTP packet, aPMIP packet or the like.

Alternatively, as another embodiment, in step 1201, the gateway controlplane device may receive an error instruction packet sent by the gatewayforwarding plane device and the characteristic information of the datapacket. However, it should be appreciated that the embodiment of thepresent invention is not limited thereto.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, when the errornotification sent by the receiving end of the data packet is received,the gateway forwarding plane device reports the characteristicinformation of the data packet to the gateway control plane device, sothat the gateway control plane device releases the PDN connection orinitiates reestablishment according to the characteristic information ofthe data packet. In this way, the gateway forwarding plane device canacquire the context information to the greatest extent under thecondition that the context information is lost, thereby ensuringaccurate forwarding of the data packet to the greatest extent.

Moreover, information processing under the conditions that a UE is in anIdle state, a UE is configured with a static IP address, a local end isabnormal and the like, is normalized to the greatest extent, namely asame processing mechanism may be adopted. Therefore, it is unnecessaryto maintain complex service logics, and processing complexity of adevice is reduced.

The embodiment of the present invention will be described in detailhereinafter in combination with a specific example. In FIG. 14, agateway control plane device may be a unified gateway control planeUGW-C under SAE architecture of a 3GPP evolved network, and a gatewayforwarding plane device may be a unified gateway forwarding plane UGW-U.It should be noted that the embodiment of the present invention is notlimited thereto. The gateway forwarding plane device and the gatewaycontrol plane device may be gateway devices of which control andforwarding are decoupled of other network. It should be furtherunderstood that the embodiment of the present invention does not setlimitation to the number of the gateway forwarding plane devices and thenumber of the gateway control plane devices, e.g., one gatewayforwarding plane device may correspond to at least one gateway controlplane device. FIG. 14 is a schematic flowchart of a process of a methodfor processing information under the architecture that control andforwarding are decoupled in the embodiment of the present invention,which is applicable to the gateway system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 14 is a schematic flowchart of processes of a method for processinginformation under the architecture that control and forwarding aredecoupled of an embodiment of the present invention.

The method of FIG. 14 is applied to a condition that an opposite end isabnormal, and meanwhile, may be applied to a condition that a UE is inan Idle state, a UE is configured with a static IP address, a local endis abnormal and the like. It should be understood that the presentinvention does not set limitation to a specific condition to which themethod is applied.

1301, a gateway forwarding plane device receives an uplink or a downlinkdata packet.

For example, the gateway forwarding plane device receives a downlinkdata packet, and specifically, the gateway forwarding plane devicereceives a GTP packet or a PMIP packet.

1302, the gateway forwarding plane device forwards the data packetaccording to context information.

1303, the gateway forwarding plane device receives an errornotification.

For example, the error notification may be a GTP error instructionpacket, an ICMIP packet or the like.

1304, the gateway forwarding plane device sends an error event reportingmessage to a gateway control plane device, wherein the error eventreporting message carries characteristic information of the data packet.

The characteristic information of the data packet includes an APN, a UEIP address, tunnel information or the like. For example, tunnelinformation of a GTP packet includes a gateway IP address and a TEID.For another example, tunnel information of a PMIP packet includes agateway IP address and a GRE key.

1305, the gateway control plane releases a packet data network (PDN)connection or initiates reestablishment according to the characteristicinformation of the data packet.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, when the errornotification sent by the receiving end of the data packet is received,the gateway forwarding plane device reports the characteristicinformation of the data packet to the gateway control plane device, sothat the gateway control plane device releases the PDN connection orinitiates reestablishment according to the characteristic information ofthe data packet. In this way, the gateway forwarding plane device canacquire the context information to the greatest extent under thecondition that the context information is lost, thereby ensuringaccurate forwarding of the data packet to the greatest extent.

Moreover, information processing under the conditions that a UE is in anIdle state, a UE is configured with a static IP address, a local end isabnormal and the like, is normalized to the greatest extent, namely asame processing mechanism may be adopted. Therefore, it is unnecessaryto maintain complex service logics, and processing complexity of adevice is reduced.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of a method for processing information by agateway forwarding plane device of an embodiment of the presentinvention. The method of FIG. 15 is executed by a gateway forwardingplane device (e.g., GW-U 12 of FIG. 1).

1401, a data packet is received, and characteristic information of thedata packet is extracted.

1402, context information corresponding to the characteristicinformation of the data packet is searched for.

1403, if the context information is not found, it is judged whether auser equipment internet protocol (UE IP) address of the data packet is auser-subscribed static IP address.

1404, if the UE IP address of the data packet is not a user-subscribedstatic IP address, the data packet is discarded.

The embodiment of the present invention may be applied to conditionsthat a UE is in an Idle state, a UE is configured with a static IPaddress, a local end is abnormal and the like. It should be understoodthat the present invention does not set limitation to a specificcondition to which the method is applied.

It should be further understood that the embodiment of the presentinvention does not set limitation to the number of the gatewayforwarding plane devices and the number of the gateway control planedevices, e.g., one gateway forwarding plane device may correspond to atleast one gateway control plane device.

The characteristic information of the data packet includes an APN, a UEIP address, tunnel information or the like. For example, tunnelinformation of a GTP packet includes a gateway IP address and a TEID.For another example, tunnel information of a PMIP packet includes agateway IP address and a GRE key.

Alternatively, as one embodiment, the data packet may be a GTP packet, aPMIP packet or the like.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, the gatewayforwarding plane device searches for the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the received datapacket, judges, if the search fails, whether the user equipment InternetProtocol (UE IP) address of the data packet is a user-subscribed staticIP address, and discards the data packet if the UE IP address of thedata packet is not a user-subscribed static IP address. In this way,signaling interaction between the gateway forwarding plane device andthe gateway control plane may be effectively reduced.

The embodiments of the present invention further provide apparatusembodiments for implementing the respective steps and methods in theabove-mentioned method embodiments. The embodiments of the presentinvention may be applied to a gateway forwarding plane device and agateway control plane device in various communication systems. FIG. 16shows an embodiment of a device, and in this embodiment, the device 1500includes a transmitting circuit 1502, a receiving circuit 1503, a powercontroller 1506, a decoding processor 1505, a processor 1506, a memory1507 and an antenna 1501. The processor 1506 controls an operation ofthe device 1500, and may further be referred to as a central processingunit (CPU) or a processor. The memory 1507 may include a read-onlymemory and a random access memory, and provides an instruction and datafor the processor 1506. A part of the memory 1507 may further include anon-volatile random access memory (NVRAM). In a specific application,the device 1500 may be embedded into, or the device 1500 per se may be,a wireless communication device such as, for example, a mobile phone andthe like, and may further include a carrier for accommodating thetransmitting circuit 1502 and the receiving circuit 1503, so as to allowthe device 1500 to transmit and receive data with a remote position. Thetransmitting circuit 1502 and the receiving circuit 1503 may be coupledto the antenna 1501. Respective components of the device 1500 arecoupled together through a bus system 1510, wherein besides a data bus,the bus system 1510 further includes a power bus, a control bus and astate signal bus. For the purpose of clear illustration, various busesare marked as the bus system 1510 in the figure. The device 1500 mayfurther include the processor 1506 for processing a signal, the powercontroller 1504 and the decoding processor 1505.

The methods disclosed by the above-mentioned embodiments of the presentinvention may be implemented by the above-mentioned device 1500, or areprimarily implemented by the processor 1506 and the transmitting circuit1502 therein. The processor 1506 may be an integrated circuit chip, andhas a signal processing capability. In an implementation process, therespective steps of the above-mentioned methods may be completed throughan integrated logic circuit of a hardware in the processor 1506 orthrough an instruction in a software form. For executing the methodsdisclosed by the embodiments of the present invention, theabove-mentioned decoding processor may be a general processor, a digitalsignal processor (DSP), an specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a fieldprogrammable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device,discrete gate, transistor logic device, and a discrete hardwarecomponent. The decoding processor may implement or execute therespective methods, steps and logic block diagrams disclosed in theembodiments of the present invention. The general processor may be amicroprocessor, any conventional processor or decoder or the like. Thesteps of the methods disclosed by the embodiments of the presentinvention can be directly embodied as being executed by a hardwaredecoding processor or executed by a combination of a hardware and asoftware module in the decoding processor. The software module may bepositioned in a mature storage medium in the art, such as a randomaccess memory, a flash memory, a read-only memory, a programmableread-only memory or an electrically erasable programmable memory, aregister and the like. The storage medium is positioned in the memory1507. A decoding unit reads information in the memory 1507, and thesteps of the above-mentioned methods are completed in combination withthe hardware thereof.

Further, FIG. 17 is a structural block diagram of a gateway forwardingplane device of an embodiment of the present invention. The GW-U 12 ofFIG. 1 is one example of the gateway forwarding plane device. Thegateway forwarding plane device 1600 of FIG. 17 includes a firstreceiving unit 1601, a processor 1602, a memory 1603 and a secondsending unit 1604.

The first receiving unit 1601 is configured to receive a data packet.

The processor 1602 is configured to extract characteristic informationof the data packet received by the first receiving unit 1601, and searchfor context information corresponding to the characteristic informationof the data packet. If the processor 1602 fails to find the contextinformation, the memory 1603 is configured to buffer the data packetreceived by the first receiving unit 1601, or the processor 1602 isfurther configured to discard the data packet received by the firstreceiving unit 1601.

The second sending unit 1604 is configured to send an event reportingmessage to a gateway control plane device, wherein the event reportingmessage carries the characteristic information of the data packetreceived by the first receiving unit 1601, so that the gateway controlplane device acquires the context information corresponding to thecharacteristic information of the data packet.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, when the gatewayforwarding plane device does not find the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the received datapacket, the gateway forwarding plane device reports the characteristicinformation of the received data packet to the gateway control planedevice, so that the gateway control plane device acquires the contextinformation. In this way, the gateway forwarding plane device canacquire context information to the greatest extent under the conditionthat the context information is lost, thereby ensuring accurateforwarding of the data packet to the greatest extent.

The gateway forwarding plane device 1600 may realize the operationsinvolving a gateway forwarding plane device in the embodiments of FIG. 2to FIG. 11, and thus will not be described in detail herein so as toavoid repetition.

Alternatively, as one embodiment, the gateway forwarding plane device1600 may further include: a second receiving unit 1605, configured toreceive the context information sent by the gateway control planedevice; and a first sending unit 1606, configured to forward the datapacket according to the context information received by the secondreceiving unit 1605.

Alternatively, as another embodiment, the second receiving unit 1605 isfurther configured to receive an instruction message sent by the gatewaycontrol plane device; and the processor 1602 is further configured todiscard the data packet according to the instruction message, and/or thefirst sending unit 1606 is further configured to notify a sending end ofthe data packet of occurrence of abnormity.

Alternatively, as another embodiment, the processor is furtherconfigured to judge whether a user equipment internet protocol (UE IP)address of the data packet is a user-subscribed static IP address.Further, the processor 1602 is specifically configured to discard thedata packet if the UE IP address of the data packet is not auser-subscribed static IP address. In this way, signaling interactionbetween the forwarding plane device and the control plane device can beeffectively reduced. Or, the second sending unit 1604 is furtherconfigured to notify, if the UE IP address of the data packet is auser-subscribed static IP address, the gateway control plane device thatthe UE IP address of the data packet is a user-subscribed static IPaddress, so that the gateway control plane device initiates anetwork-triggered packet data network (PDN) connection establishmentprocedure.

Alternatively, as another embodiment, the processor 1602 is furtherconfigured to delete part or all of context information stored by amemory of the gateway forwarding plane device. In this way, resources ofthe gateway forwarding plane device are saved, and cost is reduced.Further, the processor 1602 is specifically configured to delete part orall of context information stored by the gateway forwarding plane deviceaccording to a second message that is received by the second receivingunit 1605 and sent by the gateway control plane device; or, theprocessor 1602 is specifically configured to delete, when the gatewayforwarding plane device does not transmit any data packet of a UE withina predefined time period, part or all of context information of the UEstored by the gateway forwarding plane device.

Alternatively, as another embodiment, the processor 1602 is specificallyconfigured to delete part of the context information stored by thegateway forwarding plane device, wherein remaining context informationat least including a UE IP address.

Information processing under the conditions that a UE is in an Idlestate, a UE is configured with a static IP address, a local end isabnormal and the like, is normalized to the greatest extent, namely asame processing mechanism may be adopted. Therefore, it is unnecessaryto maintain complex service logics, and processing complexity of adevice is reduced.

FIG. 18 is a structural block diagram of a gateway control plane deviceof another embodiment of the present invention. The GW-C 11 of FIG. 1 isone example of the gateway control plane device. The gateway controlplane device 1700 of FIG. 18 includes a receiving unit 1701 and aprocessor 1702.

The gateway control plane device 1700 may implement the respective stepsinvolving a gateway control plane device in the methods of FIG. 2 toFIG. 11, and thus will not described in detail herein for avoidingrepetition.

The receiving unit 1701 is configured to receive an event reportingmessage sent by a gateway forwarding plane device, wherein the eventreporting message carries characteristic information of a data packetreceived by the gateway forwarding plane device.

The processor 1702 is configured to acquire context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the data packetreceived by the receiving unit 1701.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, when the gatewayforwarding plane device does not find the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the received datapacket, the gateway forwarding plane device reports the characteristicinformation of the received data packet to the gateway control planedevice, so that the gateway control plane device acquires the contextinformation. In this way, the gateway forwarding plane device canacquire context information to the greatest extent under the conditionthat the context information is lost, thereby ensuring accurateforwarding of the data packet to the greatest extent.

Moreover, information processing under the conditions that a UE is in anIdle state, a UE is configured with a static IP address, a local end isabnormal and the like, is normalized to the greatest extent, namely asame processing mechanism may be adopted. Therefore, it is unnecessaryto maintain complex service logics, and processing complexity of adevice is reduced.

The gateway control plane device 1700 may implement the respective stepsinvolving the gateway control plane device in the methods of FIG. 2 toFIG. 11, and thus will not described in detail herein for avoidingrepetition.

Alternatively, as one embodiment, the processor 1702 is specificallyconfigured to trigger, when a user equipment (UE) corresponding to thedata packet is in an Idle state, the UE to exit the Idle state; orspecifically configured to judge, >when the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the data packet isnot found, whether a user equipment internet protocol (UE IP) address ofthe data packet is a user-subscribed static IP address, and if the UE IPaddress of the data packet is a user-subscribed static IP address, thegateway control plane device initiates a network-triggered packet datanetwork (PDN) connection establishment procedure; or specificallyconfigured to initiate, when the receiving unit 1701 receivesinformation about that a UE IP address of the data packet is auser-subscribed static IP address, that is sent by the gatewayforwarding plane device, a network-triggered PDN connectionestablishment procedure.

The gateway control plane device 1700 may further include a sending unit1703.

Alternatively, as another embodiment, the sending unit 1703 is furtherconfigured to send, if the processor 1702 acquires the contextinformation, the context information to the gateway forwarding planedevice, so that the gateway forwarding plane device forwards the datapacket according to the context information; and configured to send, ifthe processor 1702 does not acquire the context information, a firstmessage to the gateway forwarding plane device, wherein the firstmessage is used for instructing the gateway forwarding plane device todiscard the data packet and/or to notify a sending end of the datapacket of occurrence of abnormity.

Alternatively, as another embodiment, the sending unit 1703 is furtherconfigured to send a second message to the gateway forwarding planedevice, wherein the second message is used for instructing the gatewayforwarding plane device to delete part or all of context informationstored by the gateway forwarding plane device. Further, the sending unit1703 is specifically configured to send the second message to thegateway forwarding plane device when a UE does not exit an Idle statewithin a predefined time period, wherein the second message is used forinstructing the gateway forwarding plane device to delete part or all ofcontext information of the UE stored by the gateway forwarding planedevice. In this way, resources of the gateway forwarding plane deviceare saved, and cost is reduced.

FIG. 19 is a structural block diagram of a gateway forwarding planedevice of an embodiment of the present invention. The GW-U 12 of FIG. 1is one example of the gateway forwarding plane device. The gatewayforwarding plane device 1800 of FIG. 19 includes a receiving unit 1801and a sending unit 1802.

The receiving unit 1801 is configured to receive an error notificationsent by a receiving end of a data packet.

The sending unit 1802 is configured to send an error event reportingmessage to a gateway control plane device, wherein the error eventreporting message carries characteristic information of the data packetreceived by the receiving unit 1801, so that the gateway control planedevice releases a packet data network (PDN) connection or initiatesreestablishment according to the characteristic information of the datapacket.

The characteristic information of the data packet includes an APN, a UEIP address, tunnel information or the like. For example, tunnelinformation of a GTP packet includes a gateway IP address and a TEID.For another example, tunnel information of a PMIP packet includes agateway IP address and a GRE key.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, when the gatewayforwarding plane device does not find the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the received datapacket, the gateway forwarding plane device reports the characteristicinformation of the received data packet to the gateway control planedevice, so that the gateway control plane device acquires the contextinformation. In this way, the gateway forwarding plane device canacquire context information to the greatest extent under the conditionthat the context information is lost, thereby ensuring accurateforwarding of the data packet to the greatest extent.

Moreover, information processing under the conditions that a UE is in anIdle state, a UE is configured with a static IP address, a local end isabnormal and the like, is normalized to the greatest extent, namely asame processing mechanism may be adopted. Therefore, it is unnecessaryto maintain complex service logics, and processing complexity of adevice is reduced.

The gateway forwarding plane device 1800 may realize the operationsinvolving a gateway forwarding plane device of FIG. 14, and thus willnot be described herein in detail so as to avoid repetition.

Alternatively, as one embodiment, the sending unit 1802 is specificallyconfigured to send an error notification packet to the gateway controlplane device, wherein the error notification packet may be a common IPpacket, a GTP (GPRS Tunneling Protocol, GPRS tunneling protocol) packet,a PMIP (Proxy Mobile IP, proxy mobile IP) packet, an MIP (Mobile IP,mobile IP) packet, a GRE (Generic Route Encapsulation) packet, an L2TP(Layer 2 Tunnelling Protocol) packet or the like.

FIG. 20 is a structural block diagram of a gateway control plane deviceof another embodiment of the present invention. The GW-C 11 of FIG. 1 isone example of the gateway control plane device. The gateway forwardingplane device 1900 of FIG. 20 includes a receiving unit 1901 and aprocessor 1902.

The receiving unit 1901 is configured to receive an error eventreporting message sent by a gateway forwarding plane device, wherein theerror event reporting message carries characteristic information of adata packet.

The processor 1902 is configured to release a packet data network (PDN)connection or initiate reestablishment according to the characteristicinformation of the data packet received by the receiving unit 1901.

The gateway control plane device 1900 may realize the respective stepsinvolving a gateway control plane device of FIG. 14, and thus will notbe described in detail herein for avoiding repetition.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, when the gatewayforwarding plane device does not find the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the received datapacket, the gateway forwarding plane device reports the characteristicinformation of the received data packet to the gateway control planedevice, so that the gateway control plane device acquires the contextinformation. In this way, the gateway forwarding plane device canacquire context information to the greatest extent under the conditionthat the context information is lost, thereby ensuring accurateforwarding of the data packet to the greatest extent.

Moreover, information processing under the conditions that a UE is in anIdle state, a UE is configured with a static IP address, a local end isabnormal and the like, is normalized to the greatest extent, namely asame processing mechanism may be adopted. Therefore, it is unnecessaryto maintain complex service logics, and processing complexity of adevice is reduced.

Alternatively, as one embodiment, the receiving unit 1901 isspecifically configured to receive an error notification packet sent bythe gateway forwarding plane device.

FIG. 21 is a structural block diagram of a gateway forwarding planedevice of an embodiment of the present invention. The GW-U 12 of FIG. 1is one example of the gateway forwarding plane device. The gatewayforwarding plane device 2000 of FIG. 21 includes a receiving unit 2001and a processor 2002.

The receiving unit 2001 is configured to receive a data packet.

The processor 2002 is configured to extract characteristic informationof the data packet received by the receiving unit 2001, search forcontext information corresponding to the characteristic information ofthe data packet, judge, if the context information is not found, whethera user equipment internet protocol (UE IP) address of the data packet isa user-subscribed static IP address, and discard the data packet if theUE IP address of the data packet is not a user-subscribed static IPaddress.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, under thearchitecture that control and forwarding are decoupled, the gatewayforwarding plane device searches for context information correspondingto the characteristic information of the received data packet, judges,if the search fails, whether the user equipment Internet Protocol (UEIP) address of the data packet is a user-subscribed static IP address,and discards the data packet if the UE IP address of the data packet isnot a user-subscribed static IP address. In this way, signalinginteraction between the gateway forwarding plane device and the gatewaycontrol plane may be effectively reduced.

It can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that, for thepurpose of convenience and briefness in description, reference may bemade to corresponding processes in the aforementioned method embodimentsfor specific working processes of the above-described systems, devicesand units, and will not be described redundantly herein.

In several embodiments provided by the present application, it should beappreciated that the disclosed systems, apparatuses and methods may beimplemented in other manners. For example, the above-described apparatusembodiments are merely exemplary, e.g., division of the units is just alogic function division, and other division manners may be adopted inpractical implementation, e.g., a plurality of units or components maybe combined or integrated in another system, or some features may beomitted or not executed. From another point of view, the displayed ordiscussed mutual coupling, direct coupling or communication connectionmay be indirect coupling or communication connection of apparatuses orunits through some interfaces, and may be in electrical, mechanical orother form.

The units illustrated as separate components may be or may not bephysically separated, and a component displayed as a unit may be or maynot be a physical unit, that is to say, the component may be positionedat one place or may be distributed on a plurality of network units. Theobjectives of the solutions of the embodiments may be fulfilled byselecting part or all of the units according to actual needs.

In addition, in various embodiments of the present invention, therespective functional units may be integrated in one processing unit, orthe respective function units may separately and physically exist, ortwo or more units may be integrated in one unit.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for processing information by a gatewayforwarding plane device, comprising: receiving by a gateway forwardingplane device, a data packet, and extracting the data packet'scharacteristic information; buffering, the data packet in the gatewayforwarding plane device, when there is no context informationcorresponding to the the data packet's characteristic informationalready stored in the gateway forwarding plane device, until receivingthe context information returned from a gateway control plane device,wherein the gateway control plane device and the gateway forwardingplane device are both separate and different devices; wherein prior toreceiving the context information returned from the gateway controlplane device, sending by the gateway forwarding plane device, the datapacket's characteristic information to the gateway control plane device,wherein the data packet's characteristic information is used for thegateway control plane device to acquire the context informationcorresponding to the characteristic information of the data packet; andforwarding by the gateway forwarding plane device, the data packetaccording to the received context information.
 2. The method of claim 1,further comprising: receiving an instruction message from the gatewaycontrol plane device if the gateway control plane device does notacquire the context information; and discarding, by the gatewayforwarding plane device, the buffered data packet.
 3. The method ofclaim 1, wherein before receiving the data packet by the gatewayforwarding plane device, the method further comprises: deleting at leastpart of context information stored by the gateway forwarding planedevice.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the deleting at least part ofcontext information stored by the gateway forwarding plane device,comprises: receiving a second message from a control plane device, anddeleting at least part of context information stored by the gatewayforwarding plane device according to the second message.
 5. The methodof claim 3, wherein the deleting at least part of context informationstored by the gateway forwarding plane device, comprises: deleting, whenthe gateway forwarding plane device does not transmit any data packet ofa User Equipment (UE) within a predefined time period, at least part ofcontext information of the UE stored by the gateway forwarding planedevice.
 6. The method of claim 3, wherein the deleting part of contextinformation stored by the gateway forwarding plane device, comprises:deleting part of the context information stored by the gatewayforwarding plane device, wherein remaining context information at leastcomprising a UE Internet Protocol (IP) address.
 7. A gateway forwardingplane device, comprising: a processor and a memory storing programminginstructions for execution by the processor, wherein the processorexecutes the programming instructions to: receive a data packet; extractthe data packet's characteristic information, wherein the memory furtherbuffers the data packet when there is no context informationcorresponding to the data packet's characteristic information alreadystored in the gateway forwarding plane device, until receiving thecontext information returned from a gateway control plane device,wherein the gateway control plane device and the gateway forwardingplane device are both separate and different devices; wherein prior toreceiving the context information returned from the gateway controlplane device, send the data packet's characteristic information to thegateway control plane device, wherein the data packet's characteristicinformation is used for the gateway control plane device to acquire thecontext information corresponding to the characteristic information ofthe data packet; and forward the data packet according to the receivedcontext information.
 8. The gateway forwarding plane device of claim 7,wherein the data packet is a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) tunnelprotocol (GTP) packet and the characteristic information of the datapacket includes tunnel information, which includes a GTP tunnel endidentifier (TEID).
 9. The gateway forwarding plane device of claim 7,wherein the processor further receives an instruction message from thegateway control plane device if the gateway control plane device doesnot acquire the context information; and discards the buffered datapacket according to the instruction message.
 10. The gateway forwardingplane device of claim 7, wherein the processor further deletes at leastpart of context information stored by the memory of the gatewayforwarding plane device before receiving the data packet.
 11. Thegateway forwarding plane device of claim 10, wherein that the processordeletes at least part of context information stored by the gatewayforwarding plane device comprises the processor deletes at least part ofcontext information stored by the gateway forwarding plane deviceaccording to a second message that is from the gateway control planedevice.
 12. The gateway forwarding plane device of claim 10, whereinthat the processor deletes at least part of context information storedby the gateway forwarding plane device comprises the processor isconfigured to deletes, when the gateway forwarding plane device does nottransmit any data packet of a user equipment (UE) within a predefinedtime period, at least part of context information of the UE stored bythe gateway forwarding plane device.
 13. The gateway forwarding planedevice of claim 10, wherein that the processor deletes at least part ofcontext information stored by the gateway forwarding plane devicecomprises the processor deletes part of the context information storedby the gateway forwarding plane device, wherein remaining contextinformation at least comprising a UE Internet Protocol (IP) address. 14.A gateway control plane device, comprising: a processor and a memorystoring programming instructions for execution by the processor, theprocessor executes the programming instructions to: receive a datapacket's characteristic information from a gateway forwarding planedevice, wherein the gateway control plane device and the gatewayforwarding plane device are both separate and different devices; whereinprior to receiving the data packet's characteristic information from thegateway forwarding device and when no context information correspondingto the data packet's characteristic information is already stored in thegateway forwarding plane device, the data packet is being first bufferedin the gateway forwarding plane device waiting to receive the contextinformation corresponding to the data packet's characteristicinformation, which is to be acquired by the gateway control plane devicein order to send the context information to the gateway forwarding planedevice, wherein the context information is to be used for the gatewayforwarding plane device to afterwards forward the data packet accordingto the context information received from the gateway control planedevice.
 15. The gateway control plane device of claim 14, wherein theprocessor further triggers, when a user equipment (UE) corresponding tothe data packet is in an Idle state, the UE to exit the Idle state. 16.The gateway control plane device of claim 14, wherein the processorfurther sends a first message to the gateway forwarding plane device ifthe processor does not acquire the context information, wherein thefirst message is used for instructing the gateway forwarding planedevice to discard the data packet.
 17. The gateway control plane deviceof claim 14, wherein the processor further sends a second message to thegateway forwarding plane device after a UE enters into an Idle statebefore receiving the characteristic information of the data packet fromthe gateway forwarding plane device, wherein the second message is usedfor instructing the gateway forwarding plane device to delete at leastpart of context information stored by the gateway forwarding planedevice.
 18. The gateway control plane device of claim 17, wherein theprocessor further sends the second message to the gateway forwardingplane device when the UE does not exit the Idle state within apredefined time period.